Cartridge feeding device



4 .1.0 EAME$ 2,453,977 i CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE I Filed March28, 19464 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 16, J Q EAMES 2,453,977

CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE iled March is, 1946 r '4 sheets-sheet 5 Nov.16, 1948.

Jro. EAM ES CARTRIDGE. 'FE EDINq DEVICE Filed March as, 1946 4Sheets-Sheet 4 v fidezzibr".

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 stares PATENT QFFLQE James Owen Eam'es,Washingtbn; Conn, assignon to'fioy sl sanford'woodburypGonna.

Application-March 28, 1946,;Serial1N0. 655,803;

. invention. relates. particularly. to g-Iunsoi the class in which thecartridges are; fed. to. the. gun gripped, in links forming.a.fl'exib1e.. b.elt,. the belt being of the fdisintegrating. type" iGuns; of. the. aioresaiditype are. well known. Each. cartridge is.gripped; in: resilient fingers forming parts of a link,a plurality suchlinks being. fi exibly interconnected to form a belt. latter. is.stcredainatsuitabl'e. magazine. placed adZQacBn-t. the gum. andthebelt-is. fed-,in a stepby-step movement by. suitable mechanism,formpart-of theagun, andby, means. of. which movementeachand. thecartridge gripped thereby are. positioned in predetermined. relation totheechamber 'or breechr'eady for stripping of the cartridgeland thechamberingi thereof. The devicesfor feeding; eachcartridge into suchpredleterminedrelation. to the chamber may be. op: erated by any ofseveral well-known means, either by therecoil' ofsthe exploded charge.by penumatici or. hydraulic] means electrically or otherwise. in anyeven-t a pawl or si'milar element adaptedto. engage the links seriatim.is

.giuen. the necessary reciprocating movement. for

feeding the belt. M In certaimprior guns; attemptshavebeen made to.insure proper positioning of. the link and its. individually grippedcartridge proper relation to. the chamber by the use of antibacklashdevices designedgto-onercome the. surge of the belt dne tomoinentumthereof; under rapid.- fire conditions}. fonexample by the. use of aspring-pnesseci..lever bearing. on the. top. of. the

to .force..portiohsoifithelatter in-to aslot in I .afloor of cartridgeieedlway, from; which position ..the.. cartridge is smp ea Such meansh-a-s proved unsatisfactorymecause oi the. likelisome: the momentum ofthebelt overcoming the tension on thespring and overriding the slotsue-h casexthe cartridge: moved off.- rcenter. withfrespect to:the'stripping device and nn'siiringonjramming:results;

My inventinm aecnrding lyf has iona principal object the provisiomofmeansfon positively seizing the link on both sides thereof,and-preferablyat a time when thecartridge is approaching strippingpositionywh-ich means is unaffected by the momentum of the belt, toposition the link accurately in predetermined relation to the saidi'laving its parts so constructed and arrangedas to hecapableof' readyadaptation to 8'Glairns. (Cla 89 33 to automaticguns, and

a common type of gun with little alteration in pie-existing parts; I V

Still another. object isto provide link posi'e tioningand' holding meanswhich will. not only position: the'link in the manner aforesaidf-bntwill maintain such" operation; 7 i I it furtherobj'ect' is' to combinein the li'nl zs positioning and holding" means elements which are"eiiective' to maintain downward, as well" as longitudinal, positioning:of the link to prevent axialdisplacement: of the link. during stripping;

Other and. further objects will become appar'- ent" as the descriptionproceeds:

My invention will; .for convenience; be [.de: scribed as applied -to a"gun'utilizing' a rotary sleeve actuated by the reciprocation of thebolt; the sleevehaving gear teeth engaginga carrying the belt feedingpawls. It. wi1l be understood; however, that. the invention is capableof'being embodied in guns otherwise constructed, except that theyshallinclude" some kind of re? ciprocable member for feedingthe linksseriatim to" the gun" and a slot or equivalent co-aligning means"wherein certain parts of. the" link are adapted to lie to position thelink for'the stripping' operation. Accordingly; in carrying out theinvention in one f0rm;.I.provide a member sli'cl'able with respect tothe rack, the member having, an inclined cam surface or surfaces adaptedto' abut and, during certain phases of the. cycle, to impart a cammingaction to the link Resilient means, e;. a compression spring; isprovided" intermediate the rack. and the slidable member to cause joint.movement thereof during predetermined portions of the cycle. and topermit relative movement there: between at. other times, and a. positivestop is interposed between the. rack and member to. limit said relativedisplacement therebetween 1116 cam surface is co-operative with the pawlor pawls. to grip the link therebetween to. feed the latter positivelytoa position in axial. alignment with the breech during the feedingstroke of, the rack, and immediately thereafter to thrust the linkdownwardly to engage the cartridge grip-'- ping fingers thereofwith theedges-of; the teed position during; the stripping way slot,llhIOllgh'Which opening the cartridge is moved after'stripping thereof.Following the stripping operation, the cam surface is. released fromthe'link to permit the latter to be moved Fig. 11 is an explodedperspective view showing.

the several principal parts constituting the essence of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 10, and 11, there are shown the pertinent portionsof a gun in which my invention may be embodied and including thecartridge feedway II, the receiver l2, and the bolt l3, the latter beingindicated schematically. The feedway H is substantially an open-sidedboxlike structure having a floor 2|, a front wall 22, a rear wall 23,and a cover 24, the latter being constituted in part by the feederassembly 25. The floor 2| has an elongated slot 26 disposed axially ofthe gun and having chamfered margins 21 (Fig. 1) to receive certain'parts of the cartridge link 3| to be hereinafter detailed, the contourof the edges of the slot beingsuch as to permit the stripped cartridgeto pass through the slot into the receiver with its axis inclined 32 inan'individual link 3| of a well-known type,

for example, as shown and described in the copending application of RoyS. Sanford and John J. Murphy bearing Serial Number 542,559 and filedJune 28, 1944, which has now matured into Patent Number 2,426,527,granted August 26, 1947. Links 3| 'areconnected into a flexible belt byinterengaging portions (not shown), it being understood that feedingmovement imparted to a link will feed the remaining links to and throughthe feedway Step-by-step movement is imparted to the cartridge belt byfeed pawls 33 (Fig, 11) bridged by a member34, and therefore operabletogether. Compression spring 35 constantly urges pawls 33 into feedingrelation with respect to a link while permitting yielding thereof uponreturn movement of the pawls. It is to be noted that in Figs. 1 through9, pawls 33 are, for reasons of clarity, shown diagrammatically.

To maintain the belt against backlash to some extent, a pairof beltholding pawls 36 is provided, which pawls have, for clarity, been shownas a single pawl below the links. However, the effects of pawls 36 wouldbe the same whether positioned above or below the links. For convenienceof assembly and operation, they are, in the gun itself, located withinthe housing 31 and hence above the links. It will appear fr-omwhatfollows that pawls 36 are only accessory to the link engaging meansforming the principal sublect matter of the invention.

Feed pawls 33 are pivoted at 4| to the belt 7 feed rack 42, the lattercomprising a generally elongated body having laterally extending flanges43 slidable in grooves 44 transversely of the framework 41 forming partof the feeder 25.

On its upper face the rack 42 is provided with teeth 45 in mesh withteeth 48 cut in the .periph- (both not shown) protruding from the boltl3. Thus upon reciprocation of the bolt, the tube 46 will be rotatedalternately clockwise and counterclockwise to actuate the rack 42 to theleft for feeding and to the right for return, in synchronism with thestrokes of the bolt.

Slidably secured to the rack 42 is the stripper 5| (Fig. 11) comprisingan elongated body having laterally extending flanges 52 slidable incorresponding grooves 53 in the rack 42 and a pair of camming elements54 having inclined working faces 5-5 and horizontal working faces 56. Itwill be noted that the horizontal faces 56 are substantiallysemicircular in transverse contour (Fig. 10) for a purpose to appear.

Disposed in grooves 6| in the upper face of the stripper 5| is a pair ofpins 62 encircled by compression springs 63 bearing at one end againstthe pins 64 fitted into the underside of the rack 42, and at the otherend against the heads 65 of the pins 62, the heads in turn bearingagainst the flattened faces 66 of the pin 61 screwed into a suitableaperture in the stripper 5|. Movement of the stripper 5| relatively tothe rack 42 under influence of the interposed springs 63 is restrainedin one direction by engagement of the pins 64 against thesemicylindrical end faces 68 of the grooves 6|.

' Stripper 5| is so disposed longitudinally with respect to the feedwayII as to effect anengagement of either the surfaces or 56 withpredetermined portions of the link 3| (Fig. 10), it being noted that theprotruding substantially central portion 40 of the link liesintermediate the elements 54 whereby the link may be held against axialmovement while the cartridge is being stripped therefrom, the roundededges of the faces 56 minimizing friction and facilitating engagement ofthe forward face 56 with the depressed zone of the link. However, duringpassage from the entrance to the feedway to stripping position, theround is limited to an axial position fixed by the walls 22 and 23abutting the tip and base of the round respectively, there being justsuflicient clearance to permit feeding of the round without undue play.

Before proceeding to a description of the operation of the device,reference is made to Fig. 5 in which the link 3| is shown in properrelation to the margins 21 of the slot 26 for stripping of .thecartridge. It is to be noted that the portions 76 of the link embrace orgrip the casing of the cartridge and that the chamfer of the margins 21is congruent with the outer surface of the portions I0. Thus when thelink and cartridge have been brought to a position directly over thefeedway, downward thrust by the stripper, as will be detailed, willengage the portions 10 within the slot, as shown, to fix laterally thelink and cartridge, and from which fixed :position the round may bestripped endwise and forwardly of the link as the bolt moves forward toengage the base of the round. Simultaneously the elements 54 (Fig. 10)prohibit axial movement of the link relatively to the cartridge.

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 9, there is shown a series of viewsdepicting successive steps in the operation. In Fig. 1 the bolt isclosed; 1. e., a, previous round has been chambered and detonation isoccurring. Alternatively the bolt may be closed without a round being inthe breech. The succeeding rounds,vnumbered 2, 3, etc,, of a replacementbelt, are shown feeding from the right, the link 3| beingabout to becontacted by pawls 33 for feeding. Round is held sgamst. movement toithe ileft lby :elements "51. therstrtpperlfdi l-being against 'tpi'ns ufraukifl mthe Matter zbeing'rrestrained yitheuteeth 'QISttubeWG. .Thus,assumingithatrthe were being mitiallyiloaded, iit wouldabelimpmsible :tozinsert the lbelt in :.the Broadway with round I over the slot 26.Accordinglygz-nozmund is :in :th'e feedway :slnt zan'd *sthe gun may.The initially -::.eharged "without .causing :a dam, understoodiin:the-sart;

.Assuming; :ror .claritmithat the {gun is: beinginttialtwchargemstheerbolt fisiswmoningibackxtliig. 212 ,tthe springs 83retaining: elements 15'4 against link 2131 ilhmfnrg thismtime'rthe:ltu'be t6 :is11being rotated clockwise byithe lbol't,. asrdescribemrand rack W2. :beinguzmiprocatedto ithe zlzett'to :cause.pawls :l33 lt :=:i'eed:round J Lin ithe same :dirention, lsetowardritheislottfifi.

.CEmEi-gJBmmm-d'. 3'1"JlSlHDW ton :top rof the bolt t-3, but zthe :bolt:is continuing to -.move ito :the :rear. morml figsmsand f3 iitwi'llibeseen that i-l'lnk 'il l i :is constantly .cpositively fhel'cl,being :pinched relements: Slrand apawls L33. CiBdltzM .fFi'g. 4).hasinowclearediround l and will continue :for asshort rdistancetherebeyond to complete athe :actuatinn =of rack: 42. Just :prior toitheend thealeiftrstroke of menu, stripper 5lcabutsithezleft handwalltof thehousing i'lhand 'eamfi'zaces 555-ibegin ftmforce link :31 ldownwardly.FLIItIIGIZiIIIUVBmBIflT-UTTTQEK 42 will 'oomplete the camming action,and link will forced into engagement withhslot mwes described. Suchphase :is sshown in .Fig. .5, at whichtime the gun is'iilullyachargedytheirbolt L3 is heldback .by the sear ".not shownfi; the .pawls: 33'have completed full travela'toithe llett, 'and'round l is in the' slotiii.v .It will be noted 'that the camming of "the link :31 .into theslot 26 -l'has "permitted the surfaces i'fiieto pass rover the linkunder the force of springs 63, and :imwhichzposi-tion the stripper iseffective toui hold the Blink and round "in position fo rrthez-strippingofithe latter.

.Touiire fthe gun, operation of the trigger not shown) releases the:sear to permit the bolt to movedorwardwEigQ-hD under-urging of itsdriving spring (not shown). Round I is engaged by the bolt, stripped'from 'lin'k and passed through siot 26 into the receiver ior chamberingby th'ei-bolt. It "will berecalled that slot 26 wider forwardly of thecross sectionillustrated to permit inclined transit of the roundtherethrough.

Forward mevemen't of the bolt reversely ,ro-.tates.tube46=totactuaterackfl2 tothesright. Inclined surfaces ofstripper '51 abutrlink am, and continuedmovement.oLrackAZ .to the rightcarries pawls over roundz, spring 35 yielding meanwhile, and springsc263 lbeing compressed. nuring theistrippmg of round I elements 54 mayeitherr beheld .temporarllyibyzfriction against'x the link 3| or may.move with the-mack 42 until surfaces 55 abut link'fila as aforesaid.

Reicrring to Fig. 7, round 'lis chamberedan'd 'stripperjl.isheldaga'instroundfl by springs 63. Bolt i=3 isr'forwardand lockedready for' firing. Fig. 7 represents the parts of the gun in the samepositions indicated in connection with Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 8, round I has been fired and the bolt [*3 is movingback. Pawls 33 move round 2 toward slot 26 while empty link 3| is movedto the left toward the ejection chute (not shown) by link Ma. The partsof the device are now in the positions of Fig. 2. Succeeding portions ofthe cycle are the same as described in connection with Figs. 3 and 4.

aimFigriufthe boltziszbackiandirmmd '2 is :in the feedway'rslot, :thesituation :being *thersame :as in Fig. 5. :During :automatic fire thetphases .pf the cycle :repeat these.- shown :and .describedin :Figs. 6,7,18, and-i9.

:One.importantxadnantageaofrmy:inuentionrover prior *devices rresides.iin instant adaptability toi'rig'htsori'lefit-handrfeed. 'Dependinguponzthe wayiitvis dmired to:mount the 1gun,.it maybe necessary to feedfrom thes-leit-hand side orthe right-:hand side :thereof. :Some priordevices werezsubject mossuch eonwersion only lay-installing anotherxzsetotrcertain :pf the :parts :designed iur onemr' the other hand, therebycomplicating manufacturing and iinventory :problems.'C'ontrastedwvithithis, the :rack :andstripperfi't symmetrical :and"maylibe. -interchanged from one side of "the .zfieedway to "the otherfor rights :nr leftelmnd "feed.

While I have .z-shown :a :particular embodiment ofrmysinvention, itzwillbe 1 Understand, of course, that .I :do anot -wish .to be "limitedthereto .since many :modificationssmay "he made, and .I:thereforercontemplate hyxtheappended:claimsrtoscover any suchmodifications as fall within "the rtrue spiritzandscopeofmyinvention.

'FHaW-ing described :my' tinvention, what .1 claimiandzdesntetorsecmerby Letters Rater-rt is:

1. ansautomatic .Lghn aadaptedtto fire roartridges carried to :thegnnrbyrgripping. links mprisingxa ifiexible belt, Tthe combinationcomprising-zaifeedwayfor ."the itbeltgssaid. feedwayrhaving ta slotidefined *by edges in isaidv feedw'ay'for :engagement with :a ZPDI'fiOHof each 1 link, :means for feeding. the :belt :in =:a :step-"by-stepmovement Ito position :eaoh and fits gripped cartridge 'in alignmentwith said sldt,..and:means for moving said linkintdlinterlockedrrelation with the edges of zsaidzsldt and:maintainingsaid relation during stripping of the i=oartridge' from .the 'link for:chambering :thereof, said. last :mentioned .means including a membercarried *by, and slidable with respect :to said eeding=means and havinga cam surface for engagement with the dink whereby to" izorce'rsaid :to:slot ledge-engaging rpos'i'tion.

2..:I'n -'-an automatic gun adapted to fire .cartridges :oarriedto thegun :byagripping links comprisinga flexible belt, t the combination:compris- .ing :aroadway :for :the belt, .said feedway having "a .slotdefined :by :said' feedway for engagement with aiportion of each :saidBlink, means for feeding the belt in a step-by-stepxmovemen't toposition each slink and tits rgripped cartridge inralignmentwithtsaidslot, :and means formovirrg :said link into .linterlocke'd relation withthe edges of saidtsslot :and .maintaining -.said"relationduring'stripping dfathecartridge from the link torchamberingrthenenf,said last mentioned means including a member carried by and slidable'vwithn'espectitoisaid :feeding meansand ''hav'-irrg:atleastronexslopingfelement for camrriing the linkito slotedge-engaing position. v in :an-aautomatio :gun .adapted :to firewcar-.tridges-:-carried sto the gun byrgripping liriks comprising ta flexiblet belt, tthe :combi-nation compris ing a. feedway zfor-zthemelt, saidffeedway having a slot defined by edges in said feedway for engagementwith a portion of each said link, means for feeding the belt in astep-by-step movement to position each link and its gripped cartridge inalignment with said slot, and means under the control of said feedingmeans and the link for moving said link into interlocked relation withthe edges of said slot and maintaining said relation during stripping ofthe cartridge from the link for charribering thereof, said lastmentioned' means including a member carriedby and slidable with respectto said feeding means and having at least one sloping element forcamming the link to slot edge-engaging position, and a resilient memberintermediate saidmember and feeding means for permitting movement ofsaid member upon actuation thereof by'the fed link and for urging saidmember to'normal position during said camming action.

4.'In an automatic gun adapted to fire car-- tridges carried to the gunby gripping links comprisinga flexible belt, the combination comprisinga feedway for the belt, said feedway'having a slotdefined by edges insaid feedway' for engagement with a portion of each link, means forfeeding the beltin a step-by-step movement to positioneach link and itsgripped cartridge in alignment with said slot, and means under thecontrolof said feeding means and the link for moving said link intointerlocked relation with the edges of said slot and maintaining saidrelation during stripping of the cartridge from the link for chamberingthereof, said last mentioned means including a member carried by andslidable with respect to'said feeding means and having at least onesloping element for camming the link'to slot edge-engaging position, aresilient memberintermediate said member and feeding means forpermitting movement of said member upon actuation thereof by the fedlink and for urging said member to normalposition during said cammingaction, and a rigid element intermediate said member and feeding meansfor limitingrelative sliding movement of said member with respect tosaidfeeding'means upon said actuation by the link.

5. In an automatic gun adapted to fire cartridges'carried to the gun bygripping links comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprising afeedwayfor the belt, said feedwa'y havin a slot defined by edges in saidfeedway for engagement with a portion of each link, a slide including alink feeding pawl, means for reciproeating. said slide for presentingeach link and its gripped cartridge successively toza, position inalignment with said slot, and a member slidably supported on said slideand having link-engaging elements for forcing the link into engagementwith the edges of said slot and maintaining'said engagement duringstripping of the cartridge from the-link.

. 6. In an automatic gun adapted to fire cartridges carried to the gunby gripping links comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprisinga feedway for the belt, said feedway having a slot defined by edges insaid feedway for en; gagement with a portion of each said link, a slideincluding a link feeding pawl, means for reciprocating said slide forpresenting each link and its gripped cartridge successively toa positionin alignment with said slot, a member slidably supported on said slideand having elements engageable by the link for forcingthe link intoengagement with the edges of said'slot and maintaining said engagementduring stripping of the cartridge from the link, and a resilient'element intermediate said slide and memberfor per mitting yieldablesliding movement therebetween upon engagement of said elements by thefed link,.the member imparting force to the link after saidresilient-element has been stressed beyond a predetermined value.

7. -In an automatic gun adapted to firecartridges 'carriedto the gun bygrippinglinks. com: prising a flexible belt, the combination comprisinga feedway for the belt, said feedwayhaving a slot defined by edges insaid feedway for engagement with a portion of eachlink, a slideincluding a link feeding pawl, means for reciproeating said slide forpresenting each said link and. its gripped cartridge successively to aposition in alignment with said slot, a member slidably.'sup-' ported onsaid slide and having elements engageable by the linkfor forcing thelink into engagement witlrthe 'edges'of said slotandrnain taining saidengagement during stripping of the cartridge from the link, a resilientelement intermediate said slide and'member for permitting yieldablesliding movement 'therebetween upon engagement of said elements by thefed'link, the member imparting-force to the link after said resilientelement has been stressed beyond a predetermined =value, ,and a stopintermediate -isaid slide and member for limiting relative movementtherebetween upon feeding movement of a link against said member. y

1 8. In an automatic'gun adapted to fire car tridges carried to the gunby gripping'links'comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprisinga feedway for, the belt, said feedwa'y having a slot defined by edgesinsaid feedway for engagement with a portion of each link, a slide including a, link feeding pawl, means for reciprocatin ;said slide forpresenting each said link and its gripped cartridge successively toa-position in alignment with said slot, and a member slidably supportedon said slide and having'linkengaging elements for forcing the link intoengagement with the edges of said slot and maintaining said engagementduring'stripping of-the cartridge from the link, at least one of saidlinkengaging elements being also adapted to cooperate with a matingportion of the link to maintain a predetermined longitudinal position ofthe link during stripping.

r ,JAMES OWEN EAMES.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Dec. 24, 1940

